Races 9 and 10: Brands Hatch, 29/30 August 2004The Michelin Porsche Open series provided the most dramatic action of the Porsche Festival at Brands Hatch over the Bank Holiday weekend (29/30 August).

Sunday’s hour-long race witnessed the lead change as rain suddenly fell in the final few laps, handing victory to the hard-charging Jason Young and Richard Westbrook (911 GT3). Richard Chamberlain (935) had his revenge for losing out on the win in that race by dominating Monday’s 40-minute race.Class two wins were shared between the 911GT3 Cup cars of Craig Rapp and Rod Carman, the duo having a superb battle in the second race. John Allen and John Bussell (911) combined to win class three in the one-hour race, while Paul Howells claimed that honour on Monday.Race oneA superb 29-car field lined up for Sunday’s race, which incorporated the annual Bill Taylor Memorial Race. Poleman Richard Chamberlain (935) took control early on, using the prodigious power at his disposal to quickly open a gap over Rupert Lewin (996GT2R) and Peter Cook (911 GT2). Chamberlain was four seconds clear when the safety car emerged on lap twenty after Piers Maserati (911 GT3) visited the Paddock Hill gravel. From the restart he rapidly built up his lead again, until Slim Borgudd in Gerald Harrison’s 911GT3 was the only car on the same lap. The lead pair pitted on lap 40 with 24 minutes to go, virtually the last to make a stop, and emerged with the 911GT3 of Carrera Cup racers Jason Young/Richard Westbrook in second place. Westbrook was closing, but Josh Sadler in the lead 935 had a ten second lead – until rain started to fall. Westbrook was on a charge, and closed in his slick-shod car, passing the leader through McLaren on lap 54. Two laps later the chequered flag flew, four minutes early, but with a wet rack and the field on slicks it was a sensible decision.“It’s nice day out for us!” explained Westbrook. “We fancied our chances round here. When I saw him near the end I was determined to catch him, and the GT3 was just so good in the wet – even on slicks.” A disappointed Sadler was another to praise his car in the conditions: “The 935 was still very driveable, just progressive understeer.”Third was a pleasing result for car-owner Harrison and his Swedish ex-Formula 1 team-mate on their GT3RS's race debut. Cook had a solo run to take fourth, two laps down, ahead of the Craig Rapp/Robi Bernberg 911GT3 that won class two and Rod Carman (911 GT3). The John Allen/John Bussell 911 took class three and ninth overall.Results – 63 laps:1 Jason Young/Richard Westbrook (911 GT3) 56m34.822s (81.93mph); 2 Richard Chamberlain/Josh Sadler (935) 56m40.911s; 3 Gerald Harrison/Slim Borgudd (911 GT3RS); 4 Peter Cook (911 GT2); 5 Craig Rapp/Robi Bemberg (911 GT3); 6 Rod Carman (911 GT3); 7 Rupert Lewin (996 GT2R); 8 Andrew MacKenzie (965); 9 John Allen/John Bussell (911); 10 Graham Hellier/Gavin Donneley (993). Class winners: Young/Westbrook; Rapp/Bernberg; Allan/Bussell. Fastest lap: Chamberlain/Sadler 47.664s (92.61mph).Race twoChamberlain made up for the disappointment of his near miss on Sunday with a dominant performance in Monday’s 40-minute race. His 935 steadily pulled clear at the front, and such was his pace that by lap ten only six cars were on the lead lap. Chamberlain kept the Porsche wound up for the whole 40 minutes - completing 49 laps of the 1.2-mile Brands Hatch Indy circuit.“That wasn’t too bad!” exclaimed Chamberlain after the race, “it was hot work though, and the speed difference with some of the back markers made it interesting. It’s good to win after missing out yesterday.”Cook was the only driver to stay close to Chamberlain’s place, taking second after slotting into that position on lap two. “I knew it would be hard to catch Richard,” he said, “we had the car set up too stiff and I was struggling for traction, which hurt me in traffic.”Lewin held third in the early part of the race before retiring, which put all the attention on the battle for the final podium spot between Rapp and Carman. For lap after lap they ran nose to tail - slicing their way through the back markers - Rapp never offering Carman an opportunity to get by. On the very final lap a mistake form Rapp into Surtees saw Carman dive by to lead the final half lap and claim third and class two victory, two laps down on the leader.“That was a fantastic race,” said Carman. “We knew we would be closely matched and agreed to keep it clean, and with ten minutes to go I thought there was no way past him - I couldn’t believe it when I saw the chance.”“I stayed in front of him for all bar the last half lap - I’m gutted,” said a disappointed Rapp after a mighty performance. Meanwhile, Paul Howells (993 Cup) came through to finish eighth and win class three.Results – 49 laps: 1 Richard Chamberlain (935) 40m15.801s (89.56mph); 2 Peter Cook (911 GT2) 40m55.933s; 3 Rod Carman (911 GT3); 4 Craig Rapp (911 GT3); 5 Tony Brown (964 RSR); 6 Gerald Harrison (911 GT3RS); 7 Henry Firman (911 GT3); 8 Paul Howells (993 Cup); 9 Wayne Jackson (944 Turbo); 10 Clive Bailey (964 RS). Class winners: Chamberlain; Carman; Howells. Fastest lap: Chamberlain 47.711s (92.52mph).The Michelin Porsche Open Series returns to Brands Hatch on 18/19 September.